1. Field of the Invention
An artificial Christmas tree comprising a plurality of tiers configured to facilitate assembly for use and disassembly for storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Artificial trees have been commercially available for those who prefer a tree that may be used year after year during the Christmas season in lieu of the annual purchase of a natural tree. Some of these artificial trees resemble the natural Scotch pine capable of being stored not in use. Some artificial trees may include an upright or multitude wooden or plastic trunk member secured to a base element and branch members to simulate a natural tree. Generally such trees are easily erected by positioning the inner end of each such branch member in one of a plurality of downwardly slanting, radially and vertically spaced holes drilled in the upright trunk member, and may likewise be relatively quickly disassembled for storage by removing the inner end of each branch members from the hole in the trunk member in which it has been positioned. Such artificial trees, however, as with natural trees, require hours of effort to decorate in the traditional Christmas season style.
Numerous examples of such trees are found in the prior art discussed hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,490,409 discloses a toy device comprising a vertically arranged standard, a plurality of horizontally arranged supports removably mounted substantially centrally of the supports on the standard in spaced apart relation, one above another. The supports are of different dimensions in directions radial of the standard and being adapted to be arranged thereon with their respective peripheries defining a structure relatively small at the top and relatively large at the bottom and readily removable frusto-conical filler pieces substantially occupying the space between adjacent supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,512 relates to an artificial tree comprising an upright member, a plurality of separate sections individually supported on the upright members. Each section includes a shade like wall of truncated shape with the sections progressively increasing in the diameter from the top section to the bottom section. The sections each have a diameter at the bottom equal to or greater than the diameter at the top of the adjacent lower section so that when the sections are secured to the supporting member the sections are arranged so that they either overlap the lower adjacent section or form a continuous inclined wall therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,617 discloses a modular tree comprising a frame assembly of wire elements secured together to define a tapering frame. Rings of different diameters fit over the frame, each ring having a plurality of branch ends to respective points along the ring. The branches face outwardly and define rows of simulated tree branches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,901 shows an artificial tree comprising a top section, a bottom section and a centrally positioned adjustable vertical pole which is height adjustable. The top section has a top member and a plurality of rings with the lower most ring also having a plurality of spokes interconnecting the ring with an inner hub. A plurality of strings depends downwardly from the top member and secure each of the other rings in their desired parallel positions. The bottom section also has a plurality of rings with the upper most and lower most rings having spokes and inner hubs. The rings of the bottom section are also connected together by string. The upper most ring of the bottom section sets atop the height adjustment means. In addition to the pole preferably having two sections telescopically oriented with respect to each other, the tree also is formed with strands of garland and preferably ornaments secured thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,381 discloses a container including a plurality of support legs, where each support legs including a plurality of wheel members adjustably mounted to provide for ease of leveling of the container structure and Christmas tree fastening rod members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,386 teaches a collapsible artificial tree comprising open mesh material in a conical shape. A plurality of axially spaced outer hoops defines the substantially conical shape of the tree with smaller inner hoops axially located between the outer hoops providing the artificial tree with the characteristic sawtooth profile of a coniferous tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,864 discloses an artificial Christmas tree comprising a stand base, a stand pillar, at least two truncated-cone elements conically graduated in terms of size, an a conical element for the top of the tree. The elements are detachably fastened to each other so as to form a stylized tree which can be easily disassembled for storage.
Additional examples of the prior art are found in; U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,654,427; U.S. 1,662,091; U.S. 2,186,327; U.S. 2,278,898; U.S. 2,500,215; U.S. 2,524,450; U.S. 2,586,791; U.S. 3,210,232; U.S. 3,244,870; U.S. 3,544,783; U.S. 3,819,459:U.S. 3,839,131; U.S. 4,734,301; U.S. 4,878,157; U.S. 4,937,107; U.S. 5,338,585; U.S. 5,388,799; U.S. 5,639,521; U.S. 6,048,590; U.S. 6,500,214 and 2002/0097573 (application).